Ottoman Period 1414 - 1821
Ottoman Period 1414 - 1821
Title : "Descent to Thronium, now Bodonitza, and to the Defile of Thermopylae". In the lower hill at the center one sees the Castle of Mendenitsa, and in the background the Malian gulf surrounded by the northernmost mountain peak of the Evia island to the right, and the coastal mountains of eastern Fthiotis and Thessaly to the left and center.
Title : "Descent to Thronium, now Bodonitza, and to the Defile of Thermopylae". In the lower hill at the center one sees the Castle of Mendenitsa, and in the background the Malian gulf surrounded by the northernmost mountain peak of the Evia island to the right, and the coastal mountains of eastern Fthiotis and Thessaly to the left and center.
The painting is by CLARKE, Edward Daniel, dated 1816, a few years prior to the 1821 Greek Revolution of Independence. Mendenitsa was liberated in April 13, 1821.
The painting is by CLARKE, Edward Daniel, dated 1816, a few years prior to the 1821 Greek Revolution of Independence. Mendenitsa was liberated in April 13, 1821.
The painting comes from the Collection of "The Gennadius Library - The American School of Classical Studies at Athens". It was made digitally available at the internet by "The Aikaterini Laskarides Foundation".
The scientific works regarding the history of Mendenitsa during the four centuries long Ottoman era, are minimal. A recent research paper, which comes to fill a part of this gap, was written by Dr. Georgios Pallis, Assistant Professor at the Department of History and Archaeology, the University of Athens. The paper deals mostly with the religious importance that Mendenitsa had for the Ottoman rulers in Central Greece.
The scientific works regarding the history of Mendenitsa during the four centuries long Ottoman era, are minimal. A recent research paper, which comes to fill a part of this gap, was written by Dr. Georgios Pallis, Assistant Professor at the Department of History and Archaeology, the University of Athens. The paper deals mostly with the religious importance that Mendenitsa had for the Ottoman rulers in Central Greece.
The paper is entitled: "The settlement of Mendenitsa (Modoniç), Central Greece: Archaelogical Evidence for a local Ottoman Pilgrimage center". It was presented in the 20th CIÉPO Symposium: New trends in Ottoman studies, Rethymno, 27 June – 1 July 2012, and published in the symposium proceedings.
The paper is entitled: "The settlement of Mendenitsa (Modoniç), Central Greece: Archaelogical Evidence for a local Ottoman Pilgrimage center". It was presented in the 20th CIÉPO Symposium: New trends in Ottoman studies, Rethymno, 27 June – 1 July 2012, and published in the symposium proceedings.
Here is an extraction:
Here is an extraction:
"The most precious, although debatable in certain aspects, testimony for the ottoman Modoniç comes from the 8th book of Seyahatname of Evliya Çelebi. The famous traveler, as soon as he arrived at the small city, came up against a piratical raid, which he described in vivid colors. Çelebi’s record is of great significance, because he is the first to narrate the miraculous life of Sultan Veliyullah, a Muslim saint of the early 14th century, who settled in Modoniç and later on, after his death, was buried there. His türbe became a centre of pilgrimage, famous among the local Muslim population. A dervishes’ brotherhood of the Βektaşî Order was taking care of the türbe and a mimaret, offering food and other kind of assistance to pilgrims and travellers..."
"The most precious, although debatable in certain aspects, testimony for the ottoman Modoniç comes from the 8th book of Seyahatname of Evliya Çelebi. The famous traveler, as soon as he arrived at the small city, came up against a piratical raid, which he described in vivid colors. Çelebi’s record is of great significance, because he is the first to narrate the miraculous life of Sultan Veliyullah, a Muslim saint of the early 14th century, who settled in Modoniç and later on, after his death, was buried there. His türbe became a centre of pilgrimage, famous among the local Muslim population. A dervishes’ brotherhood of the Βektaşî Order was taking care of the türbe and a mimaret, offering food and other kind of assistance to pilgrims and travellers..."
Prof. Pallis kindly provided permission to access his work on Mendenitsa during the Ottoman era right HERE.
Prof. Pallis kindly provided permission to access his work on Mendenitsa during the Ottoman era right HERE.
The region of Atalanti and Moudounitza in the Early Ottoman period (15th - 16th c.)*
The region of Atalanti and Moudounitza in the Early Ottoman period (15th - 16th c.)*
by Evangelia Balta
by Evangelia Balta
Prof. Dr. National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
Prof. Dr. National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
This is a documented and detailed study of the Ottoman administration, the population and the economy of the areas of Mendenitsa and Atalanti, which were the two administrative poles of the Turkish-occupied Locris province in Central Greece. The study is based on archival material (book entries of tax-records) found in the state archives of Istanbul and concerns the 15th and 16th centuries. Before listing the toponyms and numbers of the book entries or various time censuses, as well as their detailed analysis, the author provides a description of the important historical events in central Greece during the transition period from Frankish rule to Ottoman rule in the 13th century. Also, structural information is provided for the two administrative centers of the Ottoman administration in Lokris, the Kazas's of Moudounitsa and Talanta and their settlements.
This is a documented and detailed study of the Ottoman administration, the population and the economy of the areas of Mendenitsa and Atalanti, which were the two administrative poles of the Turkish-occupied Locris province in Central Greece. The study is based on archival material (book entries of tax-records) found in the state archives of Istanbul and concerns the 15th and 16th centuries. Before listing the toponyms and numbers of the book entries or various time censuses, as well as their detailed analysis, the author provides a description of the important historical events in central Greece during the transition period from Frankish rule to Ottoman rule in the 13th century. Also, structural information is provided for the two administrative centers of the Ottoman administration in Lokris, the Kazas's of Moudounitsa and Talanta and their settlements.
The study identifies and names 80 settlements in Lokris, which are divided geographically equally around Mendenitsa and Atalanti, and which are taxed according to the production and the number of inhabitants. It is interesting that based on the tax records the author concludes that the population of Lokris in the first two centuries of Ottoman rule in Greece reached between 20 and 24 thousand inhabitants, this is, it was much larger than that recorded in the first censuses of the free Greek state. Regarding the agricultural production of Locris at that time, the main crop was cereals, which was at the basis of the population's diet, followed by viticulture and livestock. Interestingly, nothing is mentioned about olive production, which today constitutes a significant percentage of the agricultural production in Locris.
The study identifies and names 80 settlements in Lokris, which are divided geographically equally around Mendenitsa and Atalanti, and which are taxed according to the production and the number of inhabitants. It is interesting that based on the tax records the author concludes that the population of Lokris in the first two centuries of Ottoman rule in Greece reached between 20 and 24 thousand inhabitants, this is, it was much larger than that recorded in the first censuses of the free Greek state. Regarding the agricultural production of Locris at that time, the main crop was cereals, which was at the basis of the population's diet, followed by viticulture and livestock. Interestingly, nothing is mentioned about olive production, which today constitutes a significant percentage of the agricultural production in Locris.
With the permission of its author, the article's pdf file can be seen here.
With the permission of its author, the article's pdf file can be seen here.
*in the paper proceedings of : Pax Ottomana. Studies in Memoriam Prof. Dr. Nejat Göyünç, (ed.) Kemal Çiçek, Haarlem-Ankara 2001, Sota-Yeni Türkiye, p151-182.